Power transmission



Oct. 18, 1938.

R. L. BALLANTYNE POWER TRANSMISSION Filed Got. 16. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l mqfrfl Oct. 18, 1938. R. L. BALLANTYNE POWER TRANSMI SS ION Filed Oct. 16. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 ,fa 4 Y 7 3 fi@ f 6// E ff Y 3 s f 4 wfg /AQ N mw a/ rfv f M E if d E /wmyf/ 7 a V.z im Z M2, Y; -M rv n ,a 3 0 /wf M w w 7. TIA-D 3 I Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE lclnllnl.

This invention relates to variable speed power transmission apparatus and is more particularly directed to transmission mechanism for transmitting power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft.

s An object of the invention is the provision of a simplified variable speed power transmission of this character which is efficient in operation and simple in construction.

The invention contemplates means to vary the lo driving relation between the driving and driven shafts so that the speed of the driven shaft with respect to the driving shaft is varied in response to the load resistance.

A further object of the invention resides in the 16 provision of a substantially unitary hydraulic clutch and gear arrangement for varying the driving ratio between the driving and driven shafts.

Further objects and advantages are within the 20 scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure. to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture 26 and numerous other features as `viii be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawings of a form of the invention, which may be preferred. in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary detail sectional view 3 illustrating the invention as incorporated for use with an internal combustion engine for automotive vehicles;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure i:

Figure 3 is a sectional detail taken substantiallyonallnel-loflilgurei:

Figure 4 is a sectional detail taken substantiallyon alinel-lofligure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail taken substantially on a line l-l of Figure l;

Figures 6, 'l and 8 are diagrammatic illustrations of other forms of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated as incor- 45 porated for use as a power transfer mechanism between internal combustion engines and propeller or drive shafts of automotive vehicles, but it is to be lmderstcod that I contemplate its use wherever the same may be found to have utility.

50 Referring to the drawings and particularly Figures i to 5 thereof, a form of the invention which may be preferred, has been illustrated wherein sninternal combustion enginecasing "supports a crank shaft I! formed with an extension il.

55 Il is suitably Journalled'in abearing Il carried by an enlarged portion i8 of the casing I0, and has a rotatable member or flywheel 2l keyed or otherwise secured thereto as at Il. Flywheel Il may be of the usual form or may be a disc of desired weight to which is preferably re- 6 movabiy secured a casing 2l of comparatively light weight material as for example sheet metal. Buitably Journalled on extension Il adjacent the flywheel 2l, is a casing Il which is capable of rotation with respect thereto. Within casing 2l is 10 a gear or rotor Il having internal teeth Ill. the rotor Il being suitably secured to the extremity of extension Il for rotation therewith. In mesh with teeth Il of gear n are the teeth Il of an idler or driven gear I! winch is mounted upon a 1 shaft 34 carried by sn end or head portion Il of the casing Il. Head II is formed with an inwardly extending projection Il of crescent shape which divides the casing into two sections. The head as is provided with n splines opening n 2 within which is positioned s. shaft I2 axially aligned with extension Il of the crankshaft l2.

As particularly shown in Figure B, the casing Il is formed with enlarged chamber portions 4l and Il between which is positioned a wall 4l having an opening Il therein communicating with chambers ll and 4l. Projecting through the wall I8 substantially at right angles to the opening Il is a valve member I2 slidably mounted in an opening Il. Valve l! is formed with an 3 opening therethrough or may be slotted as at Il providing a passage between chambers Il and Il when the slot l0 is in register with the opening Il. A resilient member or spring Il is positioned between the casing 2l and valve l! which a5 tends to hold the latter in open position. or so that slot Il cooperates with opening Il.

Each of the casings 24 and 2l is adapted to hold fluid such as oil or the like, the outer casing Il serving as a reservoir to supply fluid to n casing 20 as will hereinafter appear.

"Iheiiuidincasingiscirculatedthroughthe spaces between the rotor 2l, idler 32 and head 8| upon rotation of the rotor Il and thus idler ll. s the fluid passing through valve I! when in open position. due to the meshing of teeth Il and Il which force the huid into chamber Il when the rotor is driven in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3. when valve l! is closed however. 50 the circulation of :luid ceases and the mechanism becomes in effect a unitary structure and casing llbeingfreeuponextension Ilisdrivenbyand rotates with the rotor 2l. Thus the ftuid becomes a Vcushion between the casing, rotor and idler and a substantially positive drive is provided between crank shaft I2 and driven shaft 42.

The mechanism thus far described simulates a rotary pump structure wherein the rotor 28 is driven by the engine crank shaft I2, the casing 28 serving as a power transfer to a driven shaft 42 through the medium of the idler gear I2 which meshes with the teeth oi' the rotor and which is locked thereto when the valve I2 is closed to stop the free passage of fluid through chambers 4I and 44. This arrangement is in effect a uid clutch serving as a means for coupling together of the driving and driven shafts as will hereinafter appear.

Casing 24 is provided with a plug 21 which is removable for the injection oi iluid to the interior of the casing to compensate for any leakage or waste. In order that the fluid. preferably an oil of desired quality may be supplied to casing 24. openings II and II are provided in casing 2I adjacent chambers 44 and 4I. Within openings 28 and Il are valve mechanisms II and I! provided with seats I1 and 88 to receive the head portions of valves 4I and 4I. Each member I2 and It is formed with an extended portion 4S of scoop shape which serves to "pickup" the oil as casing 24 rotates. the suction created in chamber 44 being sumcient to open valve 4I when the casing is rotating clockwise. or in chamber 4I to open valve 4I when the casing is rotating counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 3. Such an arrangement maintains the desired supply of fluid in the casing 24.

In axial alignment with shaft 42 is a shaft I2 suitably journalled in a bearing I4 carried by a. convenient bracket 8E. Shaft I2 is provided with a reduced portion II adapted to be received within an opening Il provided in the end of shaft 42. The other end of shaft I2 extends into a casing I1 which contains a reverse gear mechanism of suitable form. I'he gearing in casing 61 is provided with a connecting element I8 forming a part of a universal joint or other suitable connection to a propeller or drive shaft 1li which in turn is suitably connected to the driving wheels of the vehicle (not shown).

In order that shaft 82 and thus shaft 1Il may be driven at a low speed a differential mechanism is provided which may be driven through the medium of gear 12 carried by the stub shaft I4 driven by the idler gear I2. The differential has been illustrated as including a ring 14 driven by means of gear 1I formed integral therewith or suitably secured thereto. Ring 14 carries a plurality of pinions 1I which are mounted in any suitable manner upon stub shafts 19. The pinions 18 are in constant mesh with bevel gears I2 and I4 mounted respectively upon shafts 42 and I2 and adapted for rotation therewith. Thus shaft I2 is capable of being rotated either through shaft 42, gear 82, pinions 1I and gear 84 when valve I2 is closed and casing 28 is rotating, or through gears 12 and 1I. ring 14, pinions 1B and gear I4, when valve 52 is open and casing 26 is substantially stationary, or through both oi' these sets of gearing as will hereinafter appear.

Although a bevel gear type of differential mechanism has been chosen for illustration it is to be understood that planetary gearing may be utilized, in which event, a sun gear could be substituted for the bevel gear 82, planet gears for the pinions 1I and an internally toothed ring gear for the bevel gear I4. If such an arrangement is utilized gear 12 on stub shaft I4 would be one of the planet gears.

In order that the ring 14 and thus shaft I2 may be selectively driven by gear 12. a form of manually operable control has been illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 4. suitably carried upon an external cylindrical surface of casing 24 is a ring I slidable with respect thereto in a suitable manner, such as by means of a yoke member II. pivoted as at 8l. A split ring I8 is connected to the enlarged extremities II 'of the yoke II through the medium of pins I1 provided on ring II which is positioned in a slot II in ring III. Thus by rocking the yoke II upon pivot 95, ring II and thus ring III are moved longitudinally upon the casing 24. Ring III is suitably pinned or otherwise secured as at II to an internal ring II, slots I2 being provided in the casing 24 to permit movement of the connecting elements 88 with respect to the casing. Rings III and II are of sufficient width to cover slots I2 throughout their full range of movement and thus prevent the escape of oil from casing 24.

Ring II is formed with an annular proiection III which is engaged by a roller III carried by an extension H8 on valve member I2. Valve l2 is adapted to be held in open position by means of spring Il which also serves to continuously urge roller III into engagement with projection I I8. Thus manipulation of ring I8 and thus ring 90 moves valve I2 into and out of open position. Av governor or automatic control has also been provided to operate valve I2 and may take the form of a pivoted member |24 provided with a weight I2I adjacent its outer extremity and a gear sector |24 on its inner extremity. Member |24 is pivoted at |21 between the weight |25 and sector I2I to a suitable bracket I2I formed on casing 24. The teeth III of sector I2I are in engagement with teeth III provided in the valve 52. Thus rotation of casing 28 will affect the position of weight |28 and vary the position of valve I2, and as casing 28 increases in speed. the centrifugal force causes valve I2 to move toward closed position.

The arrangement is such, that when it is desired to apply direct drive to the shaft 1I through shaft 42, the valve 52 is closed so that the rotor 28, idler I2 and casing 28 rotate as a unit. Thus, ring III is moved to the extreme left as viewed in Figure 2 or into direct drive position and roller IIB rides upon surface IIS of the ring 8|l which maintains the valve I2 in closed position. When it is desired to return the elements to neutral position, ring III is manipulated so that surface IIS moves away from roller III and spring I! moves valve 82 into open position, permitting idler gear 82 to rotate shaft I4 and impart rotation to ring 14, shaft 1I becoming free.

Low gear is obtained when ring Il is in the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Thus rotation of crank shaft I2 rotates the rotor 2B and idler I2 on shaft I4. The shaft I4 in turn drives gear 12, and as the driven shafts 62 and 1I are stationary, gear 12 will start to walk around gear 1I. As valve I2 moves toward closed position the resistance between rotor 28 and idler I2 increases and gear 12 applies additional driving force to gear 1I and ring 14. Shaft 42. being driven by the casing 28, imparts motion to bevel gear I2 in the direction of rotation of casing 2B. Gear I4, being xed upon shaft I2 is also stationary and thus the ring 14 starts to rotate due to its connection to pinions 1I which are driven in this instance, by bevel gear I2. Gear 12 will tend to rotate ring 14 faster than it is being rotated through bevel gear 82, with the result that lli the bevel gear 54 and shaft 52 are rotated in the direction of rotation of the crankshaft i2. The resultant effect of the increased speed of the gear 12 and the rotation of casing 25 is to drive the differential mechanism with increasing speed which is in turn imparted to the driven shafts 52 and 15. It is to be noted that during this driving action, casing 25 and the differential mechanism are rotating and gear 12 tends to drive the differentiai faster.

It is to be further noted that'in addition to the walking action of gear 12 around gear 15 that although valve 52 is initially in open position. the opening restricts the fluid ow sumciently to drive the casing 25 slowly in the direction of crank shaft rotation. Thus throughout the operation of the above mechanism the same is being rotated substantially as a unit although there is relative movement between the several elements, during various periods of operation. This arrangement adds materially to the flexibility of the device, much of the shock of initial movemont of the driving action being eliminated, and tends to reduce materially the back lash" present in conventional transmissions.

Direct drive is obtained either manually or automatically by closing valve 52 through the movement of ring 55 toward casing 25 or by the centrifugal force upon the weighted sector |24. Thus motion is initiated by means of the rotation of ring 14 and as the load decreases the valve 52 may be closed either manually or automatically to drive shaft 52 directly from shaft |4 through the casing 25.

To reverse the direction of the driven or propeller shaft 1li, a reverse gear mechanism of conventional form may be utilized in which instance shaft 52 is preferably driven in the manner above described in connection with low gear.

In the form of the invention above described the arrangement is such that the idler gear 52 is connected to the ring 14 while the casing 25 is connected to the bevel gear B2. However. a number of other driving connections may be made and several arrangements have been illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8. In Figure 8, a flywheel |5| which may be the conventional iiywheel of an internal combustion engine, is illustrated as driving a bevel |55 through the medium of a shaft |55. Bevel gear |55 forms a part of a differential mechanism including a bevel gear |51 pinions |55 and ring |4I having an external toothed portion |45. In this form oi' the invention the pump structure is mounted adjacent the driven shaft |45. and the exterior casing |41 is maintained stationary by securing the same to a suitable support. Casing |55 is carried by shaft |5| keyed or otherwise secured to rotor |52 and shaft |55 splined to the casing |55. On the outer end of shaft |5| is secured a gear |55 for engagement with the teeth |45 of ring |4|. Shaft |55 carries a gear |51 in mesh with a gear |55 on shaft |45.

Thus, shaft |55 may be driven through the medium of shaft |55, bevel gear |55. pinion |55, bevel gear |31 when the pump is locked in a manner described in connection with Figures 1 to 6 to provide a direct drive. When it is desired to drive shaft |45 at low speed the drive is through bevel gear |55, bevels |55, ring |4|, gear |55, rotor |52,casing |55, gear |51 and gear |59. In this instance a pump idler gear is not utilized except to control the rotation of casing |5I| either per mitting the casing to rotate freely or drive the same by locking the rotor |52 to the casing.

In Figure 'I the diiferentiai mechanism is positioned after the pump structure and thesrrangement differs from that shown in Figure 6 in that a ily wheel |55 rotates shaft |5| to which is suitably keyed a gear |52 and bevel gear |15. A driven shaft |55 is journalled in the end of shaft |5| and carries a second bevel gear |1I. Associated with the gevel gears |15 and |1| are pinion gears |15 carried by a ring |14 which is externally toothed as at |15. Connected between gear |52 and ring |14 is a pump arrangement which preferably includes outer casing |54 secured to a support to hold the casing stationary. Within easing |55 is a casing |55 suitably supported for rotation therein on shafts |55 and |51. Shaft |55 is provided with a gear |55 in mesh with gear |52 and a rotor |55 forming a part of the pimp structure. Casing |55 is freely mounted on shaft |55. and may be rotated therewlth or with respect thereto as will hereinafter appear. A second shaft |51 is preferably splined to the casing |55 and carries a gear |15 in mesh with the teeth |15 of ring |15. Thus, driven shaft |55 may be rotated either through the bevel gear |1l, pinions |15. ring |14, gear |15, casing |55, gear |55, gear |52 and driving shaft |5|. or through the dinerential mechanism and drive shaft |5|. In this arrangement two units of the pump structure are utilized. the idler gear of the pump serving as the locking means between the casing |55 and rotor |55 as described in connection with Figure 6.

The arrangement shown in Figure 8 is inclusive of a pump and differential mechanism similar to that shown in Figures lto5. Thering |55however, being formed with an internal gear |55 with which meshes a gear |51 on an idler gear shaft |55. In this form of the invention shaft carries a planetary gear mechanism provided with a clutch and a brake mechanism. Thus a driven shaft |52 is rotated in one direction through a sun gear nxed to shaft |50, planet gears |54 carried by a brake housing |55 and operative elements |55 carried by the shaft |55. A clutch plate |55 carried on shaft |52 is provided with friction disc |5| for engagement with the sun and planet gears |55 and |54. Such an arrangement. with clutch engaged, stops the sun and planet gears and the ring |55 is rotated therewith which in turn rotates shaft |52. When the clutch is disengaged and the brake on, the planet gears rotate around the sun gear to drive the ring gear and shaft |52 in a direction opposite to that of shaft 55. With both the brake off and clutch disengaged the planet gears will rotate about the sun gear and within the ring gear without driving the latter.

From the foregoing description it is to be noted that a number of arrangements may be utilized without departing from the spirit of the invention and that I contemplate a transmission mechanism wherein a fluid pump or clutch is connected to differential gearing so that any one of the clutch units such as the rotor, idler or case cooperated with any one of the diiferential units such as the two bevel gears or ring gear to drive the same as herein set forth.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed. and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a power transmission. the combination of a rotatable housing; a drive shaft terminating therein; a casing mounted on said shaft for rotation thereon: a gearwithin said casing and fixed to said shaft an idler gear in mesh with said gear; a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differentiai gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft; and means to vary the speed of said driven shaft.

2. In a power transmission, the combination of a rotatable housing; a drive shaft: a casing mounted on said shaft for rotation thereon; uid in said housing and said casing; a gear within said casing and xed to said shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said gear; a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differential gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft; and means to control the circulation of uid in said casing to vary the speed of said driven shaft.

3. A power transmission including a rotatable housing, a drive shaft; a casing carried by said drive shaft; a driven shaft connected to said casing; iiuid controlled gearing in said casing and associated with said drive shaft; dierential gearing associated with said driven shaft; and means to control the circulation of fluid in said casing to vary the driving relation between said drive shaft and said driven shaft through said fluid controlled gearing.

4. In a transmission mechanism the combination of a driving shaft: a driven shaft; a casing adapted to contain a fluid; an internal gear in said casing and secured to said driving shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said internal gear; and differential gearing connected to said internal gear and said idler gear means to control the circulation of fluid in said casing to drive said driven shaft through said idler gear and said casing.

5. In a power transmission, the combination of a housing; a casing rotatable within said housing;

a drive shaft; a driven shaft; an internal gear on said drive shaft within said casing; an idler gear in mesh with said gear; fluid in said casing; differential gearing adjacent said casing; means to drive said gearing from said casing and from said idler gear; and means to vary said driving relation by regulating the flow of fluid in saidy casing.

6. In a power transmission, the combination of a drive shaft; a casing mounted for rotation on said shaft; a gear within said casing and rotatable with said shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said gear; fluid in said casing and surrounding said gears; a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differential gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft: and means to vary the speed of said driven shaft by regulating the flow of uid in said casing.

7. In a power ton. the combination of a housing: a drive shaft; a casing mounted on said shaft for rotation thereo fluid in said casing; a gear within said casing and fixed to said shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said gear: a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differential gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft; planetary gearing associated with said driven shaft; a second driven shaft: and means to change the direction of rotation of said second driven shaft.

8. In a power transmission, a housing; a drive shaft; a rotatable casing; a rotary gear train in said casing; dierentiai gearing associated therewith; a plurality of shafts connecting said gear train to said dlerential gearing: a driven shaft; means to drive said driven shaft through said differential gearing by one or more of said shafts; a planetary gear train cooperating with said driven shaft; a second driven shaft; and means to change the direction of rotation of said second driven shaft.

ROBERT L. BALLANI'YNE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,155 ,276.

October 1B, 1958.

ROBERT L. BALIAN'IYNE.

It 1s hereby certified that error appears in the printed specfication` of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows; Page 5, second column, line 8, for "gevel" read bevel;

claim Il,

page LL, first column, line 55,

strike out the word "and" and insert the same before "means",

line 55, same claim; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of January, A. D. 1959.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale Acting Commissioner of Patents.

of a rotatable housing; a drive shaft terminating therein; a casing mounted on said shaft for rotation thereon: a gearwithin said casing and fixed to said shaft an idler gear in mesh with said gear; a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differentiai gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft; and means to vary the speed of said driven shaft.

2. In a power transmission, the combination of a rotatable housing; a drive shaft: a casing mounted on said shaft for rotation thereon; uid in said housing and said casing; a gear within said casing and xed to said shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said gear; a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differential gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft; and means to control the circulation of uid in said casing to vary the speed of said driven shaft.

3. A power transmission including a rotatable housing, a drive shaft; a casing carried by said drive shaft; a driven shaft connected to said casing; iiuid controlled gearing in said casing and associated with said drive shaft; dierential gearing associated with said driven shaft; and means to control the circulation of fluid in said casing to vary the driving relation between said drive shaft and said driven shaft through said fluid controlled gearing.

4. In a transmission mechanism the combination of a driving shaft: a driven shaft; a casing adapted to contain a fluid; an internal gear in said casing and secured to said driving shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said internal gear; and differential gearing connected to said internal gear and said idler gear means to control the circulation of fluid in said casing to drive said driven shaft through said idler gear and said casing.

5. In a power transmission, the combination of a housing; a casing rotatable within said housing;

a drive shaft; a driven shaft; an internal gear on said drive shaft within said casing; an idler gear in mesh with said gear; fluid in said casing; differential gearing adjacent said casing; means to drive said gearing from said casing and from said idler gear; and means to vary said driving relation by regulating the flow of fluid in saidy casing.

6. In a power transmission, the combination of a drive shaft; a casing mounted for rotation on said shaft; a gear within said casing and rotatable with said shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said gear; fluid in said casing and surrounding said gears; a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differential gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft: and means to vary the speed of said driven shaft by regulating the flow of uid in said casing.

7. In a power ton. the combination of a housing: a drive shaft; a casing mounted on said shaft for rotation thereo fluid in said casing; a gear within said casing and fixed to said shaft; an idler gear in mesh with said gear: a shaft adapted to be driven by said casing; differential gearing between said idler gear and said driven shaft; planetary gearing associated with said driven shaft; a second driven shaft: and means to change the direction of rotation of said second driven shaft.

8. In a power transmission, a housing; a drive shaft; a rotatable casing; a rotary gear train in said casing; dierentiai gearing associated therewith; a plurality of shafts connecting said gear train to said dlerential gearing: a driven shaft; means to drive said driven shaft through said differential gearing by one or more of said shafts; a planetary gear train cooperating with said driven shaft; a second driven shaft; and means to change the direction of rotation of said second driven shaft.

ROBERT L. BALLANI'YNE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,155 ,276.

October 1B, 1958.

ROBERT L. BALIAN'IYNE.

It 1s hereby certified that error appears in the printed specfication` of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows; Page 5, second column, line 8, for "gevel" read bevel;

claim Il,

page LL, first column, line 55,

strike out the word "and" and insert the same before "means",

line 55, same claim; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of January, A. D. 1959.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

